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The pair didn’t know each other before Slot moved to Merseyside last summer - although they did play against each other in a 2013 fixture between Zwolle and Groningen.

They will continue working together for at least another two years following the news of Van Dijk’s contract extension this week.

“Huge news for the club, for the fans, for our players and for our staff,” Slot told Jamie Carragher, when asked about the recent contract news.



“So pleased because everybody knows how good a player he is when they see him playing during the weekend and we also know how important he is.

“I also know important he is during the week.

When we train he is one of the few leaders there are still in the world of football I think.”

Asked if Van Dijk has any traits he wasn’t aware of before becoming Liverpool boss, Slot replied: “His importance in and around the team when we train when we're inside this building.

Yeah, I knew how good of a player he was, how important he was, but that he was that good on the ball was even a surprise to me.”

While Van Dijk is widely regarded as among the best center-backs to ever play in the Premier League, Slot claimed the Liverpool skipper isn’t necessarily viewed as favourably in his homeland.

“Maybe at the moment things changed to a positive way during this season, but the Euros, he got quite a bit of criticism,” Slot said in the Sky Sports interview

By being such a leader, by him being such an important figure, he got a bit of criticism.

“Yes, he did